I’ve loved watching wrestling and playing video games for most of my life, but those two things don’t always go together perfectly. For every WWF No Mercy, there’s a WCW Backstage Brawl. Having a big brand name behind a title is no indication of quality, apparently.

The WWE product has seen many ups and downs over the years, and the same can certainly be said for its flagship game series. Fortunately, just like its real-life counterpart, WWE 2K is on an upswing in 2024.

WWE 2K24 is an objectively good wrestling game, but whether it’s worth the price tag is another question. The answer likely depends on your relationship with the 2K series and wrestling games in general.

Learning the ropes

Simple enough for bros, tough enough for pros

Unlike some games in the series, WWE 2K24 is a decent entry point for fans who have never played a WWE 2K game before. There are button prompts that tell you how to pull off finishing maneuvers, and you can often reverse your opponent’s offense by just randomly pushing buttons. When starting out, you might want to lower the difficulty to easy until you get the hang of it.

If you’re new to WWE 2K or out-of-practice, you’ll probably have to spend some time studying the controls. They are intuitive enough for grappling, but when it comes to positioning ladders and putting opponents in caskets, you might have to consult the in-game menus for help. WWE 2K veterans should have no trouble at all.

For many wrestling fans, though, the real fun lies in fantasy booking and reliving classic moments. Thankfully, 2K24 delivers in those departments.

What’s new in WWE 2K24?

Same modes with a few changes

Showcase Mode puts players in pivotal Wrestlemania moments, from Hulk Hogan bodyslamming Andre the Giant to Brock Lesner breaking the Undertaker’s streak. Real footage hypes up each match, telling the story up to the point where you take over. Per usual, the goal is to win the match while re-enacting real-life moments, such as performing superstars’ signature moves.

Universe Mode is mostly unchanged, which is just fine since the sandbox mode gives you more than enough freedom. New match types include casket matches, gauntlets, and ambulance matches. You can even be a guest referee and count the 1-2-3 (or don’t, since it’s entirely up to you). There are a few other small but notable additions: for example, multiple superstars can now participate in backstage brawls instead of just two, so you can have Fatal 4-Way Falls Count Anywhere matches.

Up to four players can now compete in MyGM Mode, and there are new General Managers, namely Paul Heyman, Ted Dibiase, Teddy Long, and William Regal. The career mode, called MyRise, is more intricate than ever, giving players choices that dramatically alter their superstars’ journey. Thus, there’s a reason to replay MyRise as the same character since you can choose a different path.

You can also compete with other players from around the world in MyFaction mode, where you assemble teams of WWE legends to fight for supremacy of seasonal leaderboards. The Faction Wars feature is back, but it’s different this time around, pitting players against a series of five random teams followed by a boss matchup. There are also rewards for success in MyFaction mode in the form of Persona Cards, which grant superstars new attire, gimmicks, and theme music.

Photorealistic superstars, sometimes

Wrestling game graphics have really evolved

Overall, the graphics are impressive. There’s a lot of attention to detail, and fans in the crowd look more like real people than faceless cardboard cutouts. My favorite addition is the inclusion of real-life referees such as Charles Robinson. While this may seem trivial to casual players, it makes hardcore wrestling fans feel more immersed in the action.

Some of the character models look photorealistic, while others are essentially effigies of the wrestlers they’re supposed to represent. Original video footage is weaved into each game mode, including stories from performers about their journies to WWE stardom in MyRise mode. The animation for the action itself is spot-on, except for when referees mindlessly walk into wrestlers (to be fair, that happens a lot in real life, too).

Which version of 2K24 should you buy?

Buyer beware: DLC isn’t available yet

Before you buy WWE 2K24, you should know that there are multiple editions to choose from. WWE 2K24 Deluxe Edition comes with a one-month subscription to Peacock, the Nightmare Family Pack (full of Cody Rhodes-related content), and a season pass to all five DLC content packs, which will be released at a later date.

The 40 Years of WrestleMania edition of WWE 2K24 includes other future perks like the WrestleMania 40 arena and new attires such as Randy Savage’s “Macho King” persona from WrestleMania 6. Additionally, the entire Showcase Mode roster is available from the start, so you don’t have to unlock the likes of Bret Hart and The Ultimate Warrior. However, keep in mind that not all benefits will be available right away.

One of the most notable missing superstars is CM Punk, who returned to the WWE in late 2023. He’ll eventually get added to WWE 2K24 as DLC along with other newcomers like Jade Cargill. Everyone’s favorite sports commentator turned part-time wrestler, Pat McAfee, is also in the DLC pipeline.

Verdict

The best so far, but not by much

Theoretically, these games should get better every year. That hasn’t always been the case, but WWE 2K24 is an improvement over its recent predecessors in almost every way. Unfortunately, the roster includes several significant absences due to superstars leaving the company, like Edge and Sasha Banks (also known as Mercedes Moné).

Still, the franchise has certainly come a long way since the nadir of WWE 2K20, so if you haven’t played a WWE 2K game in a while, give 2K24 a chance. It’s also accessible enough for wrestling fans who don’t play a ton of video games.

However, if you weren’t a fan of WWE 2K23, probably not enough has changed to win you over. If you thought WWE 2K23 was already perfect, the minor additions in 2K24 might not be enough to warrant the cost of a new wrestling game this year.